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Hidalgo County, Texas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Hidalgo County is 114.4 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Stomach deaths at 1.8 times the U.S. rate and Liver & bile duct deaths at 1.5 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 1,666 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (1,021), Rail grade crossing (262), Gas station (mapped facility) (139). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 30 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 26.4095, -98.186.

How this county ranks in Texas

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Hidalgo County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Stomach	Deaths	4.9	2.7	1.81xSignificant	4.2 to 5.6	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	15.2	8.7	1.75xSignificant	14 to 16.4	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	9.9	6.6	1.5xSignificant	9 to 10.9	2020-2024
Thyroid	Deaths	0.7	0.5	1.4x	0.5 to 1.1	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	9.2	6.6	1.39xSignificant	8.2 to 10.2	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	17.7	13	1.36xSignificant	16.4 to 19	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	22.3	17.9	1.25xSignificant	20.9 to 23.8	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.1	3.4	1.21xSignificant	3.5 to 4.8	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	Deaths	2	1.9	1.05x	1.3 to 3	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	16.6	16.4	1.01x	14.3 to 19.2	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	14.1	14.5	0.97x	13 to 15.3	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.2	4.8	0.88x	3.6 to 4.8	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	15.8	18.5	0.85x	14.6 to 17.1	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	380.7	453.4	0.84x	374.7 to 386.9	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.2	6.2	0.84x	4.5 to 5.9	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	114.4	143.2	0.8x	111.1 to 117.7	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	3.5	4.4	0.8x	3 to 4.2	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	10.9	13.9	0.78x	9.9 to 11.9	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	3.6	4.6	0.78x	3 to 4.2	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	4.3	5.7	0.75x	3.7 to 5	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	8.1	11.3	0.72x	7.2 to 9	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	11.4	18.7	0.61x	10.4 to 12.5	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	2.2	3.7	0.59x	1.8 to 2.7	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	2.4	4.1	0.59x	1.9 to 2.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	25.6	51.8	0.49x	24.1 to 27.3	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	14.5	30.2	0.48x	13.3 to 15.7	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	0.9	2	0.45x	0.6 to 1.2	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	7.8	23.8	0.33x	6.9 to 8.7	2019-2023

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Hidalgo County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,262.9	9,842.6	-16%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	77.3	75.3	+3%	years
Child mortality	41.3	59.8	-31%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	4.6	6.2	-26%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	32.7	96.9	-66%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	5.4	28.6	-81%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 30 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde19.3 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.86 per million
Acetaldehyde1.18 per million
Benzene0.77 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 162 good, 4 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 52, peak 140.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,666 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit1,021
Rail grade crossing262
Gas station (mapped facility)139
Small hazardous waste generator41
Air permit holder (minor source)38
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)32
Hazardous waste transporter28
Major air pollution source22
Large hazardous waste generator13
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)12
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)10
TRI reporting facility9
Brownfield property8
Large greenhouse gas emitter6
Public airport5
Commercial airport3
Gas power plant3
EPA air quality monitor2
Airfield2
Heliport2
Wind power plant2
Crematorium (mapped facility)1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Landfill (mapped facility)1
Biomass power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Donna Reservoir and Canal System, Donna
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID TX0000605363 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Rbc Manufacturing, Mcallen
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $9,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005171018 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.2
Rbc Manufacturing, Mcallen
Major air pollution source. Penalties $9,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005171018 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
City Of Edinburg Wastewater Treatment Plant, Edinburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $68,725.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000506541 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Rbc Manufacturing, Mcallen
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $9,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005171018 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
City Of La Joya Wwtp, La Joya
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $218,812.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024412152 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Evolve Furniture Llc, Weslaco
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 1,765 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7859WVLVFR174HA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Ge Engine Services Mcallen Lp, Mcallen
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Nickel, Chromium, Cobalt and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,757 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 78503VLLMC6200S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
The Pictsweet Co - Monte Alto Tx Plant, Monte Alto
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 93,719 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 78538VLFRZ62MIL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Edinburg East Freddy Gonzalez Drive, Edinburg
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 482151046 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 6.7
Mission, Mission
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 482150043 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 6.6
City Of Hidalgo Wwtp, Hidalgo
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $123,976.
EPA FRS registry ID 110034416852 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
City Of Donna Wwtp, Donna
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $22,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064610728 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Rio Grande Regional Hospital, Mcallen
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005169986 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
City Of Alamo Wwtp, Alamo
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064599634 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
The Pictsweet Company, Edcouch
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000714932 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Ge Engine Services - Mcallen Lp (Mac 2), Mcallen
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Cobalt, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 20 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7850WGNGNS51GER (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.5
City Of Pharr Wwtp, Pharr
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064609883 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Evolve Furniture, Llc, Weslaco
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071242004 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Weslaco North Wwtp, Weslaco
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $58,900.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039881820 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Ge Engine Services Mcallen, Mc Allen
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000465130 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.2
Gleco Plating Inc., Mcallen
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Zinc compounds, Sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate. 737 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7850WGLCPL38WUR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.2
Regal Rexnord Corp, Mcallen
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Aluminum (fume or dust). 488 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7850WRGLRX681SB (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
Mc Allen Intl, Mc Allen
Commercial airport. O.
Record ID MFE (FAA / U.S. DOT)
Severity 5
Red Gate Power Plant, Edinburg
Major air pollution source. Penalties $15,300.
EPA FRS registry ID 110067566440 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

No correctional facility with an EPA record is located in this county.

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Hidalgo County

Texas state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Hidalgo County, and their findings.
Texas vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Texas health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Texas environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Texas drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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